Bobbin clutch



Oct. 27, 1931. G. H. MAGRATH BOBBIN CLUTCH Filed Sept. ll, 1930 Patented Get. 27, 19.31

GEORGE H. MAGRAiTI-l, F W'HITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS BOBBIN CLUTCH Application filed September 11, 1930. Serial No. 481,113.

-This invention pertains to that type of spindles commonly employed in spinning or other textile operations, and more particularly relates to an improved ybobbin clutch having expansible clutching members which vmaintain the bobbin in position during the spinning or other operation.

It is the object of this invention to provide a bobbin clutch which, is of simple construc- 1() tion, economical to manufacture and easy to assemble, which is efcient and durable in use, and which is generally superior to bobbin clutches now or heretofore in use. Further objects and advantages will be apparent as attributes of the novel construction and operation herein shown and described.

For the purposes'of illustration one concrete embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a bobbin clutch eXemplifying a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cap;

j Fig. Sis a view of the blank from which v2li an element constituting a part of the spring is made;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a part of the spring mechanism constructed from a blank shown in Fig. 3;

. Fig. 5 is a plan view and elevation of the ferrule; and

Fig. 6 is a side and rear elevation of a contact segment.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises an ordinary blade 1 and a whirl 2 fixedly mounted on the blade by a pressed fit, the whirl 2 having a hub v3 from which projects an annular neck 4. The cap 5 is tted on the hub 3 with its cylindrical wall 6 lfrictionally engaging the periphery of the hub. The top of the cap 7 is provided with a circular opening 8 concentric the blade (when in the assembled relation shown in Fig. 1) which with neck 4 defines an annular recess 9 concentric the blade. The end 7 of the cap also serves as a bobbin seat. About the circumference of the opening 8 is a plurality of similar, circumferentially spaced recesses 10 Vadjoining the circular opening 8.

Mounted on the bladel in opposition to the hub 3 is a case concentric the blade and having a plurality of similar, symmetrically disposed, circumferentially separated fingers .t 12 projecting from its head 11 into the annular recess 9 with ends adjacent to or engaging the rlmof the circular opening or annular recess 9 intermediate 'the recesses 10.

Disposed in the slots intermediate the lingers a 12 are a plurality of elongate contact pieces 13 having their lipped ends 14 engaging in-V teriorly' the case, and their hooked ends 15 projecting into the recesses 10 adjoining the annular recess 9. Y

The spring 16 is preferably a two-piece structure, both pieces being of the same construction and similar in all respects, each having an annular portion or base 17 and a plurality of similar, symmetrically disposed, circumferentially separated fingers 18. T he outer diameter of the annular portion 17 is preferably approximately equal to the inner diameter of the case, and the inner diameter of the annular portion 17 is preferably equal to that of the blade, thus insuring a close fit between the respective parts. The base or annular portion 18 of one is superposed on the base of another so that their corresponding surfaces engage and the lingers project in opposite directions as shown in the assembled mechanism in Fig. 1. The assembled spring element thus defines an annular member from which two similar, divergent lingers project in opposite directions along the blade.

The spring 16 having its annular members 17 snugly tting the blade 1 and concentric therewith at a point in a plane passing through the contact pieces approximatelyy midway between their ends is secured in position by means ofthe ferrule 19 which abuts the neck 4 and the ferrule 20 which has a pressed fit on the blade 1. Both ferrules frictionally engage the respective annular mem-` bers 17 of the spring and preferably have a pressed fit on the blade, thus preventing any movement of th-e spring either radially or longitudinally of the blade.

f Each of the divergent fingers engage the same Contact piece on opposite sides of a point i approximately midway between the ends of its bobbin-engagingsurface, as shown in the i. assembled construction in Fig. 1.

In assembling the parts the whirl 2 is 'i first applied tothe blade 1 and the ferr-111e 19" is then applied over Vthe blade'and seated on` the neck 4. The portion of the spring with fingersprojecting toward the whirl is next applied over the blade and `positioned so that its annular portion .is seated on ferrule k19. The portion of the spring with its ngerspro# jecting towardr the 'case is similarly applied and arranged so'that its projecting fingers are in vertical alignment relative to the blade withthe correspondinglingers of the lower portion. The ferrule 2O is then-pressed on over ythe blade with one en'd lseated on and friotionally engaging-V the annular n' member .y l' 17and causing a frictional engagementbe tween bothmembers l? of the 'springan-d the ferrul'e 20V-,thus Vpreventieg both radial and longitudinal movement of the spring relative tothe blade. Preferablyat this time, the capo is 'applied over the blade and pressed on the hub 3 lsoV that the recesses 1D 'of the circularopening 8 Vl'are in radial alignment relative to. amends wahres-angers is @i the spring. "The vcassis pressed partially on the blade and the-'contact lpieces fare inserted in the slots between the linger-S12, 'and V'while .Q being so'held, 'the 'case isi pressed into position Vwith the en'ds of its fingers l2 extending into the annular refees`s9` and engaging 'the portion ofthe rim of the cap i5 intermediate the recesses 10. fWhe'n thus assembled the Contact pieces are in radi-al alignmennrelaf andegafgd thereby.' f .v n

It is obvious that the l'ower ferien-L19 '19 is usedl merely 'to maintain :the annular mem- Y bers i7 of the spring in a spa-ced position n N collar or ferrulef; to the same end it rwould fromy the hub and consequently, it might be consideredadvisahle tofuse a whirl havingv a with 'an annular neck 4'of a suifcient heaghtwhrch would not require theuse of a befqui'te possible to use a whirl having a hub without 1a neck and using la ferrule of suflicient heightl to maintain theproper spaced posltrongof the'annular member i7. Any such v modication of structure would not falter'the functional character or re'lationof 'the -constituentelements ofthe lmechanism.'V

From the 'foregoing it will be seen thatthel outward jmovement of the Contact isegn y mentsisiimited the ends lil'and l'abutting, respectively', theiirterior olf the case and the .portions of fthe "cap opposite the openings ofthe ilecessesfl. This construction doesV not limit the Contact pieces to a pivotal 'or si rockingmovementabout either'oftheirfends, butgpgrmits a lparallel 'movement relative Ito the 'blade of theeritire piece. 7l`hisde`signisV particularly advantageous in-that "the contactpieces are Vcapable of yielding so 'as toV engage bobbins having tapering and ununiform bores as wellras those having uniform bores. Slnce each of the contact pieces 1s engaged by two of thespring lingers pressing outwardly on each piece with approximately equal pressure, each of the contactrpieces will press more firmly against the bore of the bobbin and thus hold it more securely in place. f A

In the preferred construction, the contact pieces it snugly in the slots between the case fingers, andthe latter' engage in a similar mamier the rim of the circular opening' 8 of the capand thus prevent any dirt, lint, etc., from entering to any substantial extentthe interior of the case,thereby oering afprote'ctionwhich will insure an unimpaired"'operation. iv i 1t 'should be understoodthat the presentV disclosure is for the vpui:po's :e-'of illustration onlyand that this invention includes l'all modifications and equivalents which fall within. the scope of ther-appended claims;

.1c-laine:eV y Y p fil f V v1. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a blade, a whirl'on thel blade, a. 1case 1 1 on .the blade having la head in spaced relation 'to the whirll rand? having longitudinal slots intermediate thev headv and whirl, elongate-contact pieces movablein said slots for enge.'ging the interior of a bobbin, andspring means pressing outwardly enea-'ch piece with approximately equal pressure ifo'n oppositer `sides of a pointapproxinratel'y midway be.

face. v e i 2; apparatus of ythe character 'described comprising a' blade,a whirl'seeured tothe blade, a caseconcentric the blade and secured tween the ends 'of its bobhin-engagingjsurat its head lt'here'to and having "a plurality lof elongateslots, a :plurality 'of contact pieces disposed inthe slots of the case", and a spring hav-ing resilient lingers projecting in opposite directions toward the whirl "and head,v re. spectively, and engagingsaid contact'pieces on opposite `sides 4'of a point'approximately midway between the ends of thevr bobbinl engagingsurface.v i

3. Apparatus of ,the character #described comprising a blade, a'whirl secured to the blade,"the whirlhaving a"hub provided with an annu-lar recess conoentriothe blade, jacase mounted 'on the blade 'and havingspac'ed "fingers extending into Vsaid recess, wb'ohloin'contact pieces disposed Abetween lsaid fingers and way between the end-s of 'its hobbineen'gaging head in spaced relation tofth'e VVwhirl, and

resilient 'means for frictionailly'engaging a bobbin, said means comprising an annular member concentric the blade and secured in a spaced position relative tothe whirl and having resilient fingers diverging in opposite directions toward the whirl and head, respectively, and means for maintaining said annular member in spaced position relative to the whirl.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade, a case concentric the blade and secured thereto and having a plurality of elongate slots, a plurality of contact pieces disposed in the slots of the case, and resilient means engaging said contact pieces, said means comprising an annular member concentric the blade at a pointV in a plane approximately midway between the ends of the bobbinengaging surfaces of said contact segments and having resilient fingers urging each contact segment outwardly against the bobbin with approximately uniform pressure throughout the length of the bobbin-engaging surfaces.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade, the whirl having a hub provided with an annular recess concentric the blade, a case mounted on the blade and having spaced fingers extending into said recess, bobbin contact pieces disposed between said fingers and extending into said recess, and a spring having fingers engaging the contact pieces on opposite sides of a point approximately midway between the ends of its bobbin-engaging surface, said spring urging each contact piece outwardly against the bobbin with approximately uniform pressure throughout the length of the bobbin-engaging surface.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade, a cap fitting the hub and having a circular openingconcentric the blade and defining therewith an annular recess, a case mounted on the blade and having a plurality of spaced fingers extending into the annular recess, a plurality of contact pieces disposed between the case fingers and having their ends extending into the annular recess, and a spring having an annular member concentric the bladeand a plurality of resilient fingers projecting in opposite directions and engaging each contact piece on opposite sides of a point approximately midway between the ends of its bobbin-engaging surface.

8. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a blade, a whirl secured to the blade, the whirl having a hub provided with a neck concentric the blade, a cap fitting the hub and having a circular opening concentric the blade and a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses adjoining said opening, the cap and the blade defining an annular recess, a case mounted on the blade and having a plurality of spaced fingers extending into the annular recess intermediate said adjoining recesses, a plurality of contact pieces disposed between the case fingers and having their lower ends extending into the recesses adjoining said annular recess, a spring comprising an annular member concentric the blade and having a plurality of divergent resilient fingers projecting in opposite directions and pressing outwardly on each contact piece with approximately equal pressure on opposite sides of a point approximately midway between the ends of its bobbin-engaging surface, and means maintaining said annular members in a spaced position relative to the neck and preventing radial and longitudinal movement relative to the blade.

Signed by me at Whitinsville, Mass., this 9th day of September, 1930.

GEORGE H. MAGRATH. 

